Former Minneapolis officer pleads guilty in George Floyd case

A former Minneapolis Police Department officer pleaded guilty Monday to state charges of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter for his role in the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Alexander Kueng entered his plea just as jury selection in the trial was set to begin.

Kueng could face 3 1/2 years in prison under sentencing guidelines for the aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Prosecutors had dropped an aiding and abetting second-degree murder charge that called for more than 12 years in prison, according to The Associated Press.

Former Minneapolis officer Tou Thao will still head to trial after he rejected a plea deal. Jury selection is set to begin later on Monday.

Kueng is the second officer to plead guilty to state charges after Thomas Lane pleaded guilty earlier this year and was sentenced to three years in prison.

Kueng, Thao and Lane have already been found guilty and sentenced on federal charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights.

Floyd, who was Black, was killed after former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes in May 2020. Kueng and Lane helped to restrain Floyd.

As part of his plea deal, Kueng admitted he held Floyd’s torso and that he knew restraining a person in a handcuffed position created a substantial risk, according to the AP.

Floyd’s murder was captured on video and led to widespread protests over racial injustice.

Chauvin has been sentenced to more than 22 years in prison on state charges and another 21 years on federal charges.